Watchcase



Dec. 31, 1940. D. MEGAR ETAL WATCHCASE Filed Nov. 18, 1959 DA v/o MEGA/e MAURICE POP/EL JA'C 08 S CHONHOLTZ ATTORNEY.

' l7 UNITED f Patented Dec. 31, 1940 31' W PATENT OFFICE Y WATCHCASE v David Mega, New York, and Maurice A. Popiel and Jacob Schonholtz, Brooklyn, N. Y.

This invention'relates generally to watchcases, but more specifically to a watchcase construction having waterproof features.

The main object of the invention resides in the provision of a watchcase, the parts of which are easily assembled eflecting water-tight joints-between the assembled case and the movement, and between the movement,-the winding stem, the pendant and crown respectively.

A further object of the invention is to produce a water-proof watch case whichis simple, economical to manufacture, durable, water-proof and dust-proof, and which does not interfere with the efficiency of operation of the movement.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a watchcase which is made of a minimum number of parts, and wherein the bezel member is provided with a central opening, the edge of which is tapered to serve as a water-proof valve seat for a non-breakable crystal; the said crystal'being also provided with correspondingly tapered walls to sit in said valve seat in a water-tight and dust-proof manner without the utilization of packing between the crystal and other members of the watchcase.

The watchcase of the present invention is characterized by features that render the connection between the crystal and the watchcase waterproof and dust-proof, that render the connection between the crown, the winding stem and the watchcase water-proof and dust-proof, and that render the connection between the back and the watchcase water-proof and dust-proof.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification is a drawing showing a preferred form of the invention wherein corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a Watch incorporating a water-proof watchcase, said case being equipped with bracelet holding lugs.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional view showing the upper portion of Fi e 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary view showing the water-proof and dust-proof connection between the bezel and the crystal of the watchcases as efiectuated by the tightening of a central ring member.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred form shown in the drawing, the watchcase comprises a central ring member In having a plurality of diametrically opposed openings H, the outer surface of the cylindrical walls of said center member being externally threaded as in- 5 dicated by numeral l2. Adapted to engage center In is a bezel l3 and a back 2!. The bezel I3 is cylindrical in form, its upper portion being flared inwardly and terminating in a circular horizontal flange l4, the inner circular edge l5 of said flange being tapered. An internal thread IS on bezel I3 is adapted to engage thread 12 of center III while a lower reduced portion IS on the inner surface of bezel 13 forms a housing I! with center I0. An opening l3a in bezel I 3 is 15 adapted to register with any one of the openings H of the center l0 whereby the winding stem 33 of movement 34 is permitted to penetrate center It] and bezel I3 respectively as will hereinafter appear.

Bezel flange I 4 is adapted to engage a nonbreakable crystal l8, the latter having a downwardly and outwardly inclined wall l9 and a flange 20, As seen in Figure 4, inclined wall l9 sits against inclined edge l5 as a conical valve on an inclined seat, while the upper surface of the flange 20 of crystal l8 abuts the lower surface of the bezel flange l4.

Center ID as it is screwed into bezel l3 forces the end portion of crystal flange 20 into tight so of bezel flange l4 and by the inclined bezel edge I5 respectively. The inner portion of crystal flange 20 adjacent the upper edge of center I0 is engaged by the edge portion of the top 34a of a watch movement 34 secured to and seated within a movement ring 31. The ring 31 at the lower edge is provided with a plurality of de- 40 pending springable flanges 34b which are adapted to force the top 340; of movement 34 against the said inner portion offlange 20 when back 2| at an internally threaded wall 22 is screwed into place on center I!) as will hereinafter appear. A dial 35 mounted on the top 34a. of the movement 34 is preferably adapted to extend within the inner surfaces of inclined crystal wall l9.

Wall 22 of back 2| is adapted to penetrate housing I! containing a gasket 24 and engages the lower threaded end of center 10. When back 2| is tightened onto center l0 against springable flanges 34b, the seating of crystal wall 19 and of crystal flange 20 in bezel edge l5 and bezel flange M respectively by center 10 is aided 2 i by the engagement of the edge portion of top wall 34a with flange 20 to effectuate a water-proof and dust-proof joint. The connection, as has been above mentioned, between crystal wall I9 and bezel edge l5 acts as a conical valve and seat by virtue of the inclination of the said members.

In providing a simply constructed and normally operated water-proof and dust-proof connection between the crown and the watchcase, a pendant tube 25 at its inner end is attached to bezel l3 around opening I3a by a soldered joint or equivalent thus fixing tube 25 as an integral part of bezel I3. A gasket 26 is placed at the lower end of tube 25 and packing 28 is placed thereabove, a gasket 21 being situated below the upper edge of tube 25 forming the top cover for the packing. Thereafter, the upper portion of tube 25 is turned inwardly over gasket 21 to form an enclosing flange 29 as best shown in Figure 3.

A cylindrical core 3| formed integrally with a crown 30 extends inwardly of the tube 25 penetrating gasket 2'1, packing 28, gasket 26 and opening l3a, the said core 3| being provided with an internal screw thread 32 to receive the externally threaded winding stem 33. However, before crown 30 is applied, the Winding stem 33 is first forced into the movement 34 after the watchcase and movement have been assembled together except for the attachment of back 2| by passing stem 33 through the gaskets and packing of the pendant tube 25 and through the bezel opening l3a. and aligned center piece opening ll. When this is done, the stem is fixed to the movement by means of a screw on the movement, the said screw not being shown in the drawing.

The reason for the provision of a plurality of openings II in center I I] is to insure registration of any one opening H with opening |3a of bezel [3 after center It] is tightened against bezel flange 20. Numeral 36 indicates bracelet holding lugs which are affixed in the usual fashion to bezel l3.

It is to be observed that crown 30 is used to wind and to move the hands of the watch in the usual manner and at the same time is connected with the winding stem 33 in a waterproof and dust-proof manner. In disassembling the watchcase, back 2| is removed from center In and the winding stem disengaged from the movement by loosening the attachment screw. Thereafter, both the crown 30 and stem 33 are removed bodily from bezel l3, whereupon ring 37 secured to movement 34 is withdrawn from center It. Thereafter, center I is unscrewed from bezel [3 to permit the rearward withdrawal of crystal 18.

We wish it understood that the bezel l3 and crystal l8 of the above described water-proof and dust-proof watchcase may assume an external shape of any geometric form, and that minor changes and variations in the material, construction, integration, cooperation and shape of parts, may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A watchcase of water-proof and dust-proof construction comprising in combination movement holding means including threadedly engageable center and bezel members, a nonbreakable crystal seated between the upper portions of the center and bezel members, a housing between the lower portions of the center and bezel members, a gasket seated within said housing, a back threadedly engageable with the center within said housing and adapted when tightened to impinge against said gasket to form a water-tight and dust-tight joint between the bezel, the center and the back and to wedge the crystal against the upper portion of the bezel to form a water-tight and dust-tight joint between the crystal and the bezel.

2. A watchcase of water-proof and dust-proof construction comprising the combination of a center, a bezel adapted to threadedly engage said center, a housing between the lower end of said center and bezel, the bezel at the upper end having a flange terminating in an inclined seat, a non-breakable crystal having an inclined wall to engage said seat and a flange to engage the bezel flange, the center being adapted to partly maintain the crystal flange against the bezel flange when screwed into said bezel and to receive the watch movement and dial, the movement being adapted to engage the crystal flange adjacent the upper edge of the center, a gasket within said housing and a back threadedly engageable with the center and being adapted when tightened to impinge against said gasket to form a water-tight and dust-tight joint between the bezel, the center and the back and to force the top of the movement against the crystal flange thereby forming a water-tight and dusttight joint between the crystal and the bezel.

DAVID MEGAR. I MAURICE A. POPIEL. JACOB SCHONHOLTZ. 

